For those involved with non-profit organizations, the Coleman ‘Continue Exploring’ Contest may be something worth looking into:

Attention Outdoor Enthusiasts!

Coleman, a leader in the outdoor industry, is officially announcing the launch of the Coleman “Continue Exploring” Contest where one Grand Prize winner will receive up to $5,000 in Coleman camping equipment for their organization!

The contest is open to nonprofit organizations whose mission is to teach children, 18 and under, about the great outdoors and participate in group camping activities.

Group leaders can enter by visiting the Coleman Facebook page now through October 31st. In addition to filling out the online entry form, your readers must submit one photo of your group in the outdoors as well as what the outdoors means to their group (50 words or less please!). In addition to the Grand Prize winner, there will be four second prize winners who will each win a prize package consisting of Coleman? camping equipment with a retail value of $2,000.

Starting November 5-11, Coleman Facebook fans will vote for the Grand Prize winner. So encourage your followers to log on and let us know what the great outdoors means to them.

No purchase is necessary to enter, for official contest rules, please visit www.Facebook.com/colemanusa. The contest opens at 4 p.m. CDT on October 20, 2011.

Like just about industry, the camping industry is ripe with products for sale that you don’t really need in order to camp. Sure, the manufacturers of these products will try to convince you that you need it to camp, and in some cases they’ve succeeded rather admirably at this, but if you’re looking to keep a few extra bucks in your wallet before your next camping trip, consider doing without the following:

Portable Grill

Part of the fun of camping is being able to cook a meal over an open flame. Why take the easy way out by bringing a grill with you? With your campfire and some basic equipment, you can cook just about anything!

RV

The RV lifestyle has become very popular and is great for persons wanting to do some serious, long-term camping while enjoying some of the amenities of a home. But one is hardly necessary for a single camping excursion. It’s okay to camp the old-fashioned way by sleeping in a tent.

Air Mattress

It’s rather common for people to bring along an air mattress to sleep on in their tent. While this does add some comfort versus sleeping on the ground, isn’t the whole point of camping to reconnect with nature and escape the world of modern amenities? Unless you’re prone to serious back pain, a couple nights of sleeping on the ground won’t kill you. Think of it as a chance to reconnect with human history where sometimes sleeping on the ground was the only option.

Space Heater

If humanity survived thousands of years of evolution and sleeping outdoors without an electric space heater, you can too. Prepare by bringing adequate clothing (several thin layers is better than just a couple thicker layers) and sufficient blankets and sleeping bags. By doing this, you can leave the space heater at home.

Power Generator

If you’re going to go all the way out into the wilderness just so you can fire up a noisy generator and enjoy electricity, why not just stay at home? It’s entirely possible to sufficiently prepare for a camping trip that requires zero help from external electrical sources. You can do without a power generator on a leisurely camping trip.

Dogs and camping go rather well together. Dogs love the outdoors and many outdoor lovers love dogs. It’s a match made in heaven, but there are some precautions and tips to be aware of when taking your dog camping.

Check and Prevent for Ticks

Most camping settings are loaded with ticks just dying to latch onto your dog as a host. Ticks can cause life-threatening diseases for your dog. You should be applying a tick and flea preventative medicine on your dog, such as Frontline Plus, on a monthly basis anyway. This is especially important if you are taking your dog into an outdoor, woodsy setting. Check for tigs regularly on your trip and have a pair of tweezers on hand to remove the entire tick (head included) from your dog.

Bring a Reminder of Home

While dogs love being outdoors, camping can also be anxiety-inducing for them if they do not feel a sense of home or “den” (remember, they evolved from wolves). Bring a special blanket or dog-bed along. Help adjust the dog to the campsite by taking him or her on a leashed walk around the premises before returning to the site of their familiar bed/blanket. This will help build a sense of normalcy for the dog and allow him or her to have a more enjoyable time with you while camping.

Bring Toys

Camping is a great chance for a real rowdy game of a tug-of-war or fetch with your dog. Let them get out all of that inner canine energy with their favorite toys and games in the great outdoors.

Store Food Safely

A loose, open container of dog food is an invitation to whatever animals may be nearby to come inspect. Keep your dog’s food sealed until he or she is ready to eat. If your dog can subsist solely on “wet” dog food for a few days, just bring along a few packages of that and feed him or her at their appropriate feeding time. Just be aware that if your dog is considerably more active while camping than they are normally that their appetite may increase.

Use Common Sense Precautions

Don’t take your dog camping and insist that he or she sleep with you in the tent when it’s 100 degrees with humidity outdoors. Dogs are very prone to heat-related sickness, moreso than humans. Be aware of this and always provide ample water, shade, and resting time for your dog.

Bring poop-scoop bags to clean up your dog’s waste.

Bring a brush and brush him or her nightly to remove various burrs, twigs, etc from their coat.

Make sure your dog has an identification tag.

Bring a leash and stake to tie him or her to, especially if part of your camping itinerary is involves getting rowdy at night; you don’t want your dog wandering off while you’re not paying attention.

Be aware that not all fellow campers and woodland critters are especially fond of your dog. Be responsible and sympathetic to this, especially if your dog is prone to barking or biting at strangers.